Rethinking Your Work

Remember the days when we were all sent to time management courses? We were under the impression that all we had to do to be effective was better manage our time. Today, the message is managing your energy, not time is key to high performance and renewal.

The impact of the recession has resulted in most organizations expecting higher performance, but with fewer employees. The usual method – working harder and putting in more time – is no longer working. Many of us are exhausted, disenchanted and disengaged. And we are getting sick.

It is time to rethink work and how we do it.

Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz wrote an excellent book: The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. Although it was written in 2003, the concepts are still valid today – maybe even more so.

The central thesis is that performance, health and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy. The authors remind us that managing time efficiently is no guarantee that we will bring sufficient energy to whatever it is we are doing.

To be fully engaged – and I would say to have spirit at work – we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest.

We know that energy diminishes with overuse. Too much energy expenditure and insufficient recovery leads to burnout and breakdown. The authors remind us that, “It is not the intensity of energy expenditure that produces burnout, impaired performance and physical breakdown, but rather the duration of expenditure without recovery.” We need to balance our energy expenditure with recovery time.

Here are a dozen tips to help you manage your energy:

Physical energy

1. Take a recovery break every 90 to 120 minutes.
2. Enhance your sleep by going to bed early and waking up early.
3. Notice signs of energy flagging: restlessness, yawning, hunger and difficulty focusing and concentrating.

Emotional energy

1. Use deep abdominal breathing to diffuse negative emotions such as impatience, anxiety, frustration, and irritability.
2. Express appreciation and gratitude to yourself and others on a regular basis.
3. Access pleasant and positive emotions such as enjoyment, adventure and opportunity.

Mental energy

1. Perform high-concentration tasks away from the phone and email and respond to emails and phone messages at designated times during the day.
2. Incorporate visualization and positive self-talk into your daily living.
3. Give your conscious thinking mind a rest.

Spiritual energy

1. Reconnect to your sense of purpose and live your deeper values.
2. Find ways to do more of what you are passionate about and brings you intrinsic reward.
3. See your work as an act of service. Remind yourself that work is not about you, but about the people you are serving.

Everything we do – thinking, interacting with others, making decisions – requires energy. It is time to rethink how we manage our energy and not just our time. Balancing our energy expenditure and energy recovery is key to our wellbeing and spirit at work.

What are the things you do to manage your energy? If you changed one thing, what would it be?

Val Kinjerski, PhD, is a leading authority in the field of employee engagement and on the topic of “spirit at work.” A consultant, agent of change and inspirational speaker, she helps companies and organizations increase employee retention and boost productivity by reigniting employees’ love for their work. Check out her Spirit at Work Program and Inspired Leadership training at www.kaizensolutions.org. Val is the author of Rethinking Your Work and Rethinking Your Work Guidebook. Available now at www.rethinkingyourwork.com and www.amazon.com .